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Pineapple pachadi
Pineapple in yogurt and coconut
പൈനാപ്പിൾ പച്ചടി: sweet pineapple in a cool yogurt and coconut-mustard sauce, the sweet-sour side of the sadya
Sadya etiquette puts pachadi next to the kichadi, and pineapple is the festive favourite, especially in central Kerala around Kottayam and Thrissur, where it appears at Onam, weddings and Vishu. Ripe pineapple is simmered briefly with turmeric, chilli and a little sugar, then folded into a paste of coconut, green chilli and raw mustard seed and loosened with whisked curd. The result is sweet, tangy and gently pungent from the ground mustard, with a crackling coconut-oil tadka on top. Serve it cool alongside rice, sambar and thoran, or as a side with appam. The mistake to avoid is adding the yogurt to a hot pan: it splits into grainy curds, so take the pineapple off the heat and let it cool first. Chef's tip: grind the mustard seeds raw with the coconut, but only briefly; over-ground mustard turns bitter.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the pineapple
- 10 ½ oz ripe pineapplepeeled, cored, 1 cm cubes
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tbsp sugarmore if the pineapple is sour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup water
For the coconut paste
- 2 ⅞ oz fresh coconutgrated
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 7 oz thick plain yogurt (curd)whisked
For the tadka
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 10 ½ oz ripe pineapple, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ¾ tsp salt and ½ cup water in a pan and simmer on a medium heat for 6–7 minutes until the pineapple is soft but holds its shape.
7 minStep 2: Stir in 1 tbsp sugar and cook for 2 minutes more until the liquid is syrupy. Take off the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
2 minStep 3: Grind 2 ⅞ oz fresh coconut and 2 green chillies with a few spoons of water to a fine paste. Add ½ tsp black mustard seeds and pulse for 2–3 seconds only.
3 minStep 4: Stir the paste into the pineapple, then fold in 7 oz thick plain yogurt (curd). Do not put it back on the heat.
1 minStep 5: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a small pan, add ½ tsp black mustard seeds and, when it pops, 2 dried red chillies and 1 sprig curry leaves. Pour the sizzling tadka over the pachadi.
2 minStep 6: Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled, the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pineapple pachadi take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of kashmiri chilli powder?
- Sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne (gives the same colour, less heat).
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